“Yes, sir,” said Will coldly; and he felt that Mr Temple was the most unpleasant, sneering man he had ever seen, and not a bit like Dick.
“Like to discover a copper mine with an abundance of easily got ore?”
“Yes, sir,” said Will quickly. “I should, very much.”
“I suppose you would,” said Mr Temple. “Are you going to do it?”
“I’m afraid not, sir,” said Will respectfully; but he was longing for the interview to come to an end. “The place has been too well searched over, sir.”
“Try tin, then,” said Mr Temple.
“The tin has been all well searched for, sir, I’m afraid,” said Will quietly, though he felt that he was being bantered, and that there was a sneer in the voice that galled him almost more than he could bear.
“Why not look then for something else?” continued Mr Temple. “That is what I’d do.”
“Because,” said Will, “I am not learned enough, sir, to understand such things properly. If I had books I should read and try to learn; but I have very little time, and no learning.”
“And yet,” said Mr Temple, speaking warmly now and quite changing his tone, “you without your learning have done more than I have with all my years of study and experience.”